Mold Carriers

The choice of clamping system is very much dependent on the rate of production. Conventional threaded bolts are the simplest choice, but they may also be the most cost efficient for low volume production with cycle times in the range of hours. On the other hand, for high-volume production mold closing as well as mold opening must be achieved much quicker, and the choice may be a hydraulically driven mold carrier. 

Processing equipment consists of the material conditioning system, the high-pressure metering system, the mixing head, and the mold carrier. Since the RIM process involves a chemical reaction in the mold after the intermediates have been mixed, it is necessary, if consistent parts are to be produced, that the material delivered to the mix head be consistent from shot to shot. 

Patent Number US 6155811 A1 20001205 STACK MOLD CARRIER MOUNTED ON LINEAR BEARINGS... 

Proceeding in their investigation of the action of the specifically formed silica gels (see above), Balandin et al. (326) elaborated a method of imparting selectivity to a catalyst by using a specifically molded carrier. As substrate were taken alkyloranges of the general structure... 

Products, Processes, Applications, Shrinkage, and Mold Carriers... 

Mold carrier (Figure 1.103) - In this case, the mold, which only consists of an upper and a lower mold half, is integrated into the mold carrier. An easier mold than in Figure 1.103 (a) can be used because the movement operations can be found inside the mold carrier. The mold design can be implemented more simply as well due to the stability and stiffness of the mold carrier. Therefore, standardized mold carriers can be used to operate other molds as well. Especially for bigger parts, mold carriers offer a lot of options of movement to achieve an individual ergonomic and process position. 

FIGURE 1.103 Universal mold carrier with two rotation axes... 

As already explained in Section 1.3.1.3, a distinction is made between self-locking molds and molds that can be mounted into a mold carrier. 

FIGURE 1.118 Instrument panel - foaming mold with mold carrier (source Fa. Frimo Group GmbH, Lotte)... 

Figure 1.118 shows a mold carrier unit, mold and controlling device, as well as operating panel. The universal mold carrier is able to get into every necessary position for the different molds. The clamping is controlled using compressed-air hoses in the lower mold half (see Section 1.3.2.4.1). 

An impression of a shoe sole production unit with a rotary round table machine, mounted mold carriers, release-agent spraying unit, and the dosing unit for the PUR reaction mixture, is shown in Figure 1.131. 

The plastic material is mostly powdery. The dosed material is then inserted into the one- or multi-part mold. With the given part size and surface geometry, the amount of the plastic material determines the wall thickness of the hollow part. The filled and closed rotational mold (using clamping elements) is attached to the mold carriers, which are attached to the machine and drive elements. 

For large molds, e.g., for instrument panels, rigid solder joints with different thermal expansion behavior could lead to tension, which would result in premature mold failure. To avoid this tension, large molds are floating mounted to the mold carrier of the machine. 

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